Fragrance nebulizer with drainage system

ABSTRACT

A device for generating a scented mist of an atomized liquid fragrance oil includes an atomizer complex, a reservoir assembly, a drainage tube, and a vacuum tube. The atomizer complex can atomize the liquid fragrance oil into a scented mist and deliver the scented mist to air outside of the atomizer complex, where the liquid fragrance oil the fragrance oil that is not atomized into the scented mist delivered to the air outside of the atomizer complex includes collected oil that is collected and drained to a reservoir assembly. A drainage tube extends from a bottom area of the atomizer complex into the liquid fragrance oil. The device can filter the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oil from the atomizer complex that drained down the drainage tube. The vacuum tube can suction the filtered liquid fragrance oil and the collected oil into the atomizer complex for atomization.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 15/332,681, filed onOct. 24, 2016, which is a divisional (and claims the benefit of priorityunder 35 USC 120) of U.S. Ser. No. 14/510,800, filed Oct. 9, 2014, whichis a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/768,444, filed Apr. 27, 2010,which claims the benefit to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.61/252,558, entitled “Fragrance Nebulizer with Drainage System,” filedon Oct. 16, 2009, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated byreferences in their entirety for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to scent and fragrance delivery systems.

BACKGROUND

Products can be developed to deliver scents or aromas in a commercialenvironment, such as in a retail environment. The scents can improve acustomer's perception of the store, the environment and the products,and can make the customer want to revisit the store to buy something.Scents and systems can be customized to reflect and complement variousbrands or environments.

SUMMARY

Generally, embodiments feature scent delivery systems and scent deliverymethods. A scent delivery system features an atomizer complex to atomizea liquid fragrance oil into a scented mist and deliver the scented mistto air outside of the atomizer complex, where the fragrance oil that isnot atomized into the scented mist delivered to the air outside of theatomizer complex includes oil that is collected and drained to areservoir assembly. The system includes a drainage tube extending from abottom area of the atomizer complex into the liquid fragrance oil, wherethe drainage tube is configured to drain the collected oil from theatomizer complex down the drainage tube into the liquid fragrance oil inthe reservoir assembly. The system has a vacuum tube configured tosuction the liquid fragrance oil and the collected oil from thereservoir assembly into the atomizer complex for the atomization. Thesystem includes a funnel-shaped structure located on the bottom area ofthe atomizer complex, where the funnel-shaped structure is configured touse impaction to coalesce a first portion of atomized particles backinto liquid form for forming the collected oil, where a second portionof the atomized particles includes the scented mist that is delivered tothe air outside of the atomizer complex.

These and other embodiments can optionally include one or more of thefollowing features. The reservoir assembly can contain a supply of theliquid fragrance oil for the scent delivery system. The drainage tubecan include the vacuum tube inside of the drainage tube that extendsalong a longitudinal length down the drainage tube, and the drainagetube can be configured to at least contact a level of the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The drainage tube and thevacuum tube can be arranged to extend along a longitudinal length downinto the reservoir assembly, and both the drainage tube and the vacuumtube can be configured to at least contact a level of the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The drainage tube and thevacuum tube can be arranged to be located substantially in parallel withone another. The atomizer complex can include an air inlet structure toreceive pressurized air, an oil intake assembly, and a venturi chamberinside of the atomizer complex. The vacuum tube can be coupled to theoil intake assembly that leads to the venturi chamber. The scentdelivery system can be configured to receive pressurized air through theair inlet structure to generate a first pressure area in the venturichamber that is lower than a second pressure area in the reservoirassembly so that the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly issuctioned into the vacuum tube and to the venturi chamber. The atomizercomplex can be configured to receive the collected oil from thereservoir assembly through the vacuum tube into the atomizer complex forthe atomization, and utilize a pressurized air flow to atomize at leasta portion of the received collected oil into the scented mist. Thefunnel-shaped structure can include a wide end and a tapered end, forwhich the wide end can be positioned on the bottom area of the atomizercomplex, the vacuum tube can be threaded through the funnel-shapedstructure, the drainage tube can be configured to receive the taperedend of the funnel-shaped structure, the funnel-shaped structure caninclude holes in the funnel-shaped structure, and the funnel-shapedstructure can be configured to collect the collected oil and drain thecollected oil through the holes in the funnel-shaped structure and tothe drainage tube at the tapered end of the funnel-shaped structure. Theatomizer complex can be configured so that the first portion of atomizedparticles in the atomizer complex impacts an interior area of theatomizer complex. Most of the first portion of atomized particles canhave a momentum that is sufficient to be unable to change direction andescape to the air outside the atomizer complex. The scent deliverysystem can be configured to utilize a virtual impaction to deliver thescented mist to air outside of the atomizer complex. The first portionof the atomized particles can include large particles and the secondportion of the atomized particles can include small particles. The scentdelivery system can be configured to have an airstream to send the smallparticles to the air outside of the atomizer complex, and the virtualimpaction can utilize a momentum of the large particles to remove thelarge particles out of the airstream that sends the small particles tothe air outside of the atomizer complex. The scent delivery system canbe configured to utilize a physical impaction to form the collected oilby directing the large particles to crash into a solid surface at leastwithin the atomizer complex. The atomizer complex can include an outputnozzle to deliver the scented mist to the air outside of the atomizercomplex. The reservoir assembly can be configured to be sealed fortransport or shipping to prevent a loss of liquid fragrance oil from thescent delivery system. The collected oil that drains into the reservoirassembly can include odor notes that are heavier than odor notes of thescented mist.

Other embodiments include an apparatus for a fragrance nebulizer with adrainage system. The apparatus includes an atomizer complex to atomize aliquid fragrance oil into a scented mist and deliver the scented mist toair outside of the atomizer complex, where the fragrance oil that is notatomized into the scented mist delivered to the air outside of theatomizer complex includes collected oil that is collected and drained toa reservoir assembly. The apparatus includes a drainage tube that isconfigured to extend from a bottom area of the atomizer complex into theliquid fragrance oil, where the drainage tube is configured to drain thecollected oil from the atomizer complex down the drainage tube into theliquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The apparatus includes avacuum tube configured to suction the liquid fragrance oil and thecollected oil from the reservoir assembly into the atomizer complex forthe atomization, and one or more pressure equalization holes in thedrainage tube to equalize a first pressure in the drainage tube with asecond pressure in the reservoir assembly.

These and other embodiments can optionally include one or more of thefollowing features. The reservoir assembly can contain a supply of theliquid fragrance oil for the scent delivery system. The drainage tubecan include the vacuum tube inside of the drainage tube that extendsalong a longitudinal length down the drainage tube, and the drainagetube can be configured to at least contact a level of the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The drainage tube and thevacuum tube can be arranged to extend along a longitudinal length downinto the reservoir assembly, and the drainage tube and the vacuum tubecan be configured to at least contact a level of the liquid fragranceoil in the reservoir assembly. The vacuum tube can be integrated withinthe drainage tube. The one or more pressure equalization holes can bepositioned above a maximum level of the liquid fragrance oil in thereservoir assembly. The atomizer complex can include a funnel-shapedstructure located on the bottom area of the atomizer complex, where thefunnel-shaped structure can include a wide end and a tapered end. Thewide end can be positioned on the bottom area of the atomizer complex,the vacuum tube can be threaded through the funnel-shaped structure. Thedrainage tube can be configured to receive the tapered end of thefunnel-shaped structure, the funnel-shaped structure can include holesin the funnel-shaped structure, and the funnel-shaped structure can beconfigured to collect the collected oil and drain the collected oilthrough the holes in the funnel-shaped structure and to the drainagetube at the tapered end of the funnel-shaped structure. The apparatuscan include one or more pressure equalization holes in the funnel-shapedstructure to equalize a first pressure in the drainage tube with asecond pressure in the reservoir assembly. The atomizer complex can beconfigured to use impaction to coalesce a first portion of atomizedparticles back into liquid form for forming the collected oil, where asecond portion of the atomized particles can include the scented mistthat is delivered to the air outside of the atomizer complex. Theapparatus can be configured to recirculate the collected oil that drainsinto the reservoir assembly back into the vacuum tube and to theatomizer complex for re-atomization. The drainage tube can be configuredto extend below the level of the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoirassembly. An area near a terminal end of the drainage tube can include afilter screen or a semipermeable membrane inside of the drainage tube.The vacuum tube can be configured to contact at least a top portion ofthe filter screen or the semipermeable membrane. The filter screen orthe semipermeable membrane can be configured to filter the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oil from theatomizer complex that drained down the drainage tube. The vacuum tubecan be further configured to suction the filtered liquid fragrance oiland the collected oil back into the atomizer complex for atomization.Each of the one or more pressure equalization holes in the drainage tubecan include a valve that is configured to seal the respective pressureequalization hole in a condition where the apparatus tips beyond athreshold degree away from a vertical position.

Some embodiments include a device for generating a scented mist of anatomized liquid fragrance oil. The device includes an atomizer complexto the atomize liquid fragrance oil into a scented mist and deliver thescented mist to air outside of the atomizer complex, where the fragranceoil that is not atomized into the scented mist delivered to the airoutside of the atomizer complex includes collected oil that is collectedand drained to a reservoir assembly. The device includes a drainage tubeextending from a bottom area of the atomizer complex into the liquidfragrance oil, where the drainage tube includes a vacuum tube inside ofthe drainage tube that extends along a longitudinal length down thedrainage tube. The drainage tube is configured to at least contact alevel of the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. Thedrainage tube is configured so that the collected oil from the atomizercomplex drains down the drainage tube into the liquid fragrance oil inthe reservoir assembly. The device is configured to filter the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oil from theatomizer complex that drained down the drainage tube. The vacuum tube isconfigured to suction the filtered liquid fragrance oil and thecollected oil in the reservoir assembly into the atomizer complex foratomization.

These and other embodiments can optionally include one or more of thefollowing features. The device can include the reservoir assembly tocontain a supply of the liquid fragrance oil for the device. Except forthe atomized liquid fragrance oil that is delivered into the air as thescented mist, the device can be configured to constantly recirculate theoil in the device so that the oil remaining in the device is constantlyfiltered. The drainage tube can be configured to surround sidewalls ofthe vacuum tube. The drainage tube can be configured to extend below thelevel of the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. An areanear a terminal end of the drainage tube can include a filter screen ora semipermeable membrane inside of the drainage tube. The filter screencan be covered by a filter housing. The filter screen or thesemipermeable membrane can separate a first mixture of oil inside thedrainage tube from the liquid fragrance oil in the bottle. The filterhousing can include holes to allow a second mixture of liquid oillocated above the filter housing to travel underneath the filter housingand to be filtered by the filter screen before being suctioned into thevacuum tube. The second mixture of liquid oil above the filter housingcan include non-atomized liquid oil and the collected oil. The secondmixture liquid oil above the filter housing may be primarily thecollected oil. The vacuum tube can be configured to contact at least atop portion of the filter screen or the semipermeable membrane. Thefilter screen or the semipermeable membrane can be configured to filterthe liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oilfrom the atomizer complex that drained down the drainage tube into thereservoir assembly. The vacuum tube can be configured to suction thefiltered liquid fragrance oil and the collected oil back into theatomizer complex for the atomization. The holes for the filter housingcan be located through the filter housing and at an outsider perimeterarea of the filter screen. The holes for the filter housing can beone-way valves.

Some embodiments feature a method for delivering a scented mist ofatomized liquid fragrance oil. The method involves atomizing a liquidfragrance oil into a scented mist with an atomizer complex, deliveringthe scented mist to air outside of the atomizer complex, and collectingand draining collected oil into a reservoir assembly. The fragrance oilthat is not atomized into the scented mist delivered to the air outsideof the atomizer complex includes the collected oil that is collected anddrained to the reservoir assembly. A drainage tube is configured toextend from a bottom area of the atomizer complex into the liquidfragrance oil, where the drainage tube is configured so that thecollected oil from the atomizer complex drains down the drainage tubeinto the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The methodinvolves filtering the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly,and suctioning, with the vacuum tube, the filtered liquid fragrance oilinto the atomizer complex for atomization.

These and other embodiments can optionally include one or more of thefollowing features. The method can include filtering both the liquidfragrance oil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oil from theatomizer complex that drained down the drainage tube, and suctioning,with the vacuum tube, both the filtered liquid fragrance oil and thefiltered collected oil back into the atomizer complex for atomization.The method can include suctioning and then filtering both the fragranceoil in the reservoir assembly and the collected oil from the atomizercomplex that drained down the drainage tube. The method can includesuctioning and filtering only the fragrance oil in the reservoirassembly that excludes the collected oil from the atomizer complex thatdrained down the drainage tube. The method can include storing a supplyof the liquid fragrance oil for the scent delivery system in thereservoir assembly. The drainage tube can include the vacuum tube insideof the drainage tube that extends along a longitudinal length down thedrainage tube, and the drainage tube can be configured to at leastcontact a level of the liquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly.The drainage tube and the vacuum tube can be arranged to extend along alongitudinal length down into the reservoir assembly. The drainage tubeand the vacuum tube can be configured to at least contact a level of theliquid fragrance oil in the reservoir assembly. The method can includeconstantly recirculating the oil between the atomizer complex and thereservoir assembly so that the oil remaining in the reservoir assemblyis constantly filtered, where the constantly recirculated oil mayexclude the atomized liquid fragrance oil that is delivered into the airas the scented mist. The method can include separating a first mixtureof oil inside the drainage tube from the liquid fragrance oil in thebottle. The method can include generating a path for a second mixture ofliquid oil located above a filter housing to travel underneath thefilter housing and to be filtered by a filter screen before beingsuctioned into the vacuum tube. The second mixture of liquid oil abovethe filter housing can include non-atomized liquid oil and the collectedoil. An area near a terminal end of the drainage tube can include thefilter screen or a semipermeable membrane inside of the drainage tube,where the filter screen can be covered by the filter housing. The filterscreen or the semipermeable membrane can separate the first mixture ofoil inside the drainage tube from the liquid fragrance oil in thebottle. The method can involve equalizing a first pressure in thedrainage tube with a second pressure in the reservoir assembly with oneor more pressure equalization holes in the drainage tube. The method caninvolve utilizing a funnel-shaped structure located on the bottom areaof the atomizer complex to use impaction to coalesce a first portion ofatomized particles back into liquid form for forming the collected oil,where a second portion of the atomized particles can include the scentedmist that is delivered to the air outside of the atomizer complex.

The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth inthe accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features,objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thedescription and drawings, and from the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate an example of an implementation of a scentdelivery system that includes a reservoir assembly for storing fragranceoil and an atomizer.

FIGS. 2A-2E illustrate an example of implementation of a scent deliverysystem that includes a reservoir assembly for storing fragrance oil andan atomizer complex.

FIGS. 2F-2H show various three-dimensional (3D) diagrams of the scentdelivery system.

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Scent delivery systems can be developed to use a dry-air technology thatreleases a fragrance without sprays, or heated oils. The scent deliverysystems produce no messy residue to stain or damage floors ormerchandise, so that scents can be delivered in a clean, controlled way.The scent delivery systems may require very little to no maintenance,other than adding or exchanging liquids for scents when the system islow or empty of liquids.

An airblast venturi atomizing device generally uses a high velocity airstream to break up a liquid into small droplets which are small enoughto “float” in the air (e.g., under 10 microns). However the processactually may create a broad spectrum of droplet sizes, and the largestdroplets may be too large to be useful as output. Disclosed herein aresystems and techniques for separating the particles of desirable sizefrom those that are too large to be used as output.

In some systems, the amount of oil that is drawn through the atomizerand yet returns as liquid without escaping to the environment may befrom 100 to 400 times the mass that exits the system as the desired fineparticles. In such cases, a large volume of oil per hour of operation isbroken up and exposed to an intense flow of air before coalescing againas bulk liquid and being reused. This process consequently encouragesevaporation to act on the oil which, as detailed further below, includesconstituents with different vapor pressures. In short, such systems mayfunction as distillation apparatuses, separating out the more volatilecomponents of the oil mixture, which generally have relatively highvapor pressures, while leaving the lower vapor pressure componentsbehind. This causes a composition change of the oil mixture which mayresult in a change in the fragrance of the oil mixture. In addition, asthe composition of the oil mixture changes, the viscosity also mayincrease, becoming thicker over time. Such an increase in viscosity maydecrease the efficiency of the atomization, compounding the issue offragrance change with a decrease in fragrance intensity.

Collecting oil that passes through a venturi atomizer without escapingand returning it as liquid to be re-atomized as described herein mayconcentrate the effects noted above on a smaller volume of oil so thatthe properties of the bulk oil in the reservoir assembly are lessaffected over time, and the behavior of the machine is more consistent.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, an implementation of a scent deliverysystem 100 includes a reservoir assembly 105 for storing fragrance oil110 and an atomizer 115. A vacuum tube 120 draws fragrance oil 110 fromthe reservoir assembly 105 into the atomizer 115. The atomizer 115 thenconverts the fragrance oil 110 into a scented mist 125 that is deliveredinto an airstream. Oil that is drawn into the atomizer 115 by the vacuumtube 120 but that is not ultimately atomized is collected in theatomizer 115 and returned to the vacuum tube 120 by a drainage tube 130rather than being drained directly back into the reservoir assembly 105.

Generally, the oil that is drawn into the atomizer 115 by the vacuumtube 120 but that is not ultimately atomized includes a higherpercentage of heavy (larger) odor notes than light (smaller) odor notes.As a result, if the oil that is not atomized and that is collected inthe atomizer 115 drains directly back into the reservoir assembly 105,the concentration of heavy odor notes relative to the concentration oflight odor notes in the oil remaining in the reservoir assembly 105 mayincrease over time. Consequently, the scent delivered by the scentdelivery system 100 may change over time.

As compared to allowing the oil that is not atomized to drain back intothe reservoir assembly, returning the oil that is not atomized to flowthrough the vacuum tube 120 increases the likelihood that the heavy odornotes within the returned oil will be atomized. As a result, theconcentration of heavy odor notes relative to the concentration of lightodor notes in the oil remaining in the reservoir assembly 105 may staymore steady over time, thereby leading to the delivery of a more uniformscent over time. Furthermore, returning the oil that is not atomized tothe vacuum tube 120 may preserve the presence of light odor notes withinthe system over a longer period of time while also slowing the overallconsumption of oil by the system over time.

Referring to FIGS. 2A-2D, an implementation of a scent delivery system200 includes a reservoir assembly 205 for storing fragrance oil 210 andan atomizer complex 215. As with the scent delivery system 100illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a vacuum tube 220 draws fragrance oil210 from the reservoir assembly 205 into the atomizer complex 215, wherethe atomizer complex 215 converts the fragrance oil 210 into a scentedmist 225 that is delivered into an airstream by an output nozzle 227. Inparticular, as described in greater detail below, pressurized air (e.g.,10 psi) is injected into the atomizer complex 215 through air inletstructure 222, which is formed in the top portion 300 of the atomizercomplex 215. Inlet structure 222 leads to a venturi chamber formedwithin the top portion 300 of the atomizer complex 215. In addition,vacuum tube 220 is coupled to an oil intake assembly 305 that also leadsinto the venturi chamber. The injection of pressurized air through airinlet structure 222 generates a low pressure area within the venturichamber formed in the top portion 300 of the atomizer complex 300. Thiscauses fragrance oil 210 to be drawn up through vacuum tube 220 into theventuri chamber, where the flow of pressurized air is used to atomizethe fragrance oil 210. As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the vacuumtube 220 is encased within a tube 230. As also will be described ingreater detail below, tube 230 serves to collect atomized fragranceparticles that are too large to be used for useful output as well as todrain excess oil that has collected in atomizer complex 215 back to theintake of the vacuum tube 220 where it again may be drawn up into theatomizer.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2B, a funnel-shaped structure 235, withinwhich round holes 240 are defined, is incorporated within the atomizercomplex 215. In addition, a collar 237 is formed over funnel-shapedstructure 235, and vacuum tube 220 is threaded through the funnel-shapedstructure 235 and its collar 237. Tube 230 is configured to surround thevacuum tube 220 and to receive the tapered end of the funnel-shapedstructure 235 such that the tapered end of the funnel-shaped structure235 fits securely within the tube 230. Excess oil that collects withinthe atomizer complex 215 drains out of the atomizer 215 through roundholes 240 and into the funnel-shaped structure 235. From thefunnel-shaped structure 235, the oil drains into tube 230, where it isdrained around the outside of the vacuum tube 220 and ultimately returnsto the intake of the vacuum tube 220.

Referring to FIG. 2C, the underside of the top portion 300 of atomizercomplex 215 is illustrated. As illustrated in FIG. 2C, the top portionof the atomizer complex 215 includes a structure inside of which theventuri chamber is formed. As described above, inlet structure 222 leadsto this venturi chamber as does oil intake assembly 305. Pressurized airis injected into the venturi chamber through inlet structure 222,resulting in a low pressure area within the venturi chamber that causesoil to be drawn into the venturi chamber through vacuum tube 220 and oilintake assembly 305. When the oil enters the venturi chamber, it issubjected to the pressurized air flow, which serves to atomize the oilinto a mist that is then discharged through orifice 401. As describedabove, the mist that is discharged through orifice 401 may includeparticles of various different sizes, some of which are suitable foroutput and others of which are too large to be used as output.

The separation of small airborne particles from big ones may beaccomplished though impaction. Systems disclosed herein may make use ofphysical impaction where the larger particles are directed towards asolid surface and crash into it as their momentum is high enough toovercome the resistance of the stationary air adjacent to the surface.For example, in some implementations, physical impaction may be achievedby forcing the airstream with entrained particles to go around tightbends and corners, or though small holes. This method may tend to exposethe stream of entrained particles to a lot of surfaces.

As will be described in connection with FIGS. 2D and 2E below, systemsdisclosed herein also may make use of virtual impaction, in which themomentum of the larger particles serves to carry them out of a movingairstream so that the smaller particles follow the moving air while thelarger ones follow a different path or simply fall in relatively stillair.

Referring to FIG. 2D, funnel shaped assembly 235 with tube 230 attachedis in operating alignment with the airblast atomizer which isdischarging a mist downwards from orifice 401. Vacuum tube 220 is notshown in FIG. 2D to focus on the outgoing flow.

Arrow 406 shows the path of the initial spray of atomized liquidparticles from orifice 401 moving at relatively high velocity. Some ofthese particles, especially the larger ones, collide with the interiorwall of hollow cylindrical section 404 formed in the funnel-shapedassembly 235 as well as the interior walls of the funnel-shaped sectionof funnel-shaped assembly 235. These collisions generally coalesce theseparticles back into bulk liquid which runs and drips to the bottom oftube 230. The path of the airflow through the device is shown by arrows408, which turns and flows upwards though the holes 240 carrying with itthe entrained aerosol particles of desirable small size. These particlesthen enter the interior of the atomizer complex 215 and are dischargedthrough nozzle 227. Arrow 407 shows the path of larger particles fromorifice 401 that have sufficient momentum to be carried out of theairflow in funnel shaped assembly 235. These larger particles are morelikely to collide with the surface of tube 230 than they would be toescape with airstream 408 through round holes 240, though some of thelarger particles still may escape with airstream 408 through round holes240. Pressure equalization holes 409 may be formed in tube 230 orassembly 235 to equalize pressure in tube 230 with that in reservoirassembly 205 (e.g., so that the fluid level in tube 230 will matchclosely that of reservoir assembly 205 regardless of air flow introducedfrom orifice 401). When such pressure equalization holes 409 are formed,they generally are formed at locations above the level of oil inreservoir assembly 205.

Permeable separator 410 separates the contents of tube 230 from thefragrance oil 210 in reservoir assembly 205. Vacuum tube 220 conveysliquid from the bottom of tube 230 just above separator 410. Inoperation the liquid atomized though orifice 401 that does not exit thesystem through nozzle 227 will be collected in tube 230 and returned viatube 220 with minimal mixing with the contents of reservoir assembly205. As fragrance oil of the proper particle size exits the device,fresh oil will pass into tube 230 through permeable separator 410 tomaintain substantially equal hydraulic pressure on both sides ofseparator 410 (and thus equal fluid levels in tube 230 and reservoirassembly 205). Permeable separator 410 may occlude the terminal end oftube 230 or the end of vacuum tube 220 or both simultaneously. Thefunction of separator 410 could as a further alternative be performed by2 separate pieces, one to screen the oil moving up vacuum tube 220 andthe other to restrict the diffusion of oil between tube 230 andreservoir assembly 205 as described above. In some implementations,separator 410 is a fine mesh plastic screen. Alternatively, many otherpermeable materials such as, for example, felt also may be used forseparator 410.

Round holes 240 also allow liquid fragrance oil that has coalescedfurther along the fragrance delivery path (e.g., within the interior ofatomizer housing 215) to drain back to tube 230. Round holes 240 and thegap between the bottom of cylindrical section 404 and the funnel shapedwall of funnel-shaped structure 235 both also serve to act as physicalparticle impactors removing some of the larger particles from theairstream. As illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2D, multiple round holes 240are used, but an annular slot or other single opening or combinations ofopenings may be used in addition or as an alternative. In addition, insome implementations, funnel-shaped structure 235 may be replaced withnested box sections or concentric rings creating a similar airflowpattern. Furthermore, separate drainage and airflow paths could beemployed as an alternative.

As fragrance oil may be strong smelling, messy, and persistent, featuresmay be included within the atomization system to minimize the chances ofspilling significant quantities of the fragrance oil. Such enhancementsmay enable the disclosed systems to be oriented horizontally or in aninverted fashion without causing the fragrance oil to pour out of thesystem. For example, in some implementations, pressure equalizationholes 409 may be replaced with a valve that is configured to seal whenthe system tips beyond a threshold degree away from vertical. Thesealing could be achieved with a moving weight, or it can bemechanically actuated by an external plunger.

In the event that the air pressure supply to the atomizer is switched onand off over time, the oil in vacuum tube 220 that has been suctionedabove the level of the oil in the reservoir assembly 205 may fall backdown each time the system switches off. This may cause some of the oilin tube 230 to be displaced and mix with the bulk oil in the reservoirassembly 205. Likewise, when oil is suctioned back up tube 230, somefresh oil may be drawn into tube 230. Over many cycles this may causeconsiderable mixing. In order to mitigate this mixing, in someimplementations, tube 230 may be sealed at the bottom so that no (orlittle) diffusion takes place between the oil in the main reservoirassembly 205 and the partially ‘spent’ oil in tube 230. Additionally oralternatively, tube 230 may be refilled with fresh oil on an as-neededbasis. In some implementations, a one way valve between the two chambers205 and 230 is used as a refilling mechanism. Alternatively, in someimplementations, an active sensor may be used to pump in oil when tube230 is determined to be empty of re-circulating oil. The active sensormay detect the level of liquid in tube 230 or, alternatively, it maydetect the failure of the atomizer to produce mist while active.

In some implementations, tube 220 may be run in parallel to rather thaninside tube 230. This may minimize interference with the mist dischargedthrough orifice 410. In addition, running vacuum tube 220 outside oftube 230 may also allow for easier assembly with a filter on the end ofthe vacuum tube 220. In such implementations, a combination filter ofporous plastic may simultaneously serve to filter the liquid moving upthe vacuum tube 220 and perform the permeable barrier function of part410.

FIG. 2E shows another example of an implementation of the scent deliverysystem. In FIG. 2E, the funnel shaped assembly 235 with the tube 230attached operates with the airblast atomizer that discharges a scentedmist from orifice 401. While some features differ, several features ofFIG. 2E may be similar to corresponding features of FIG. 2D.

FIG. 2E shows the vacuum tube 220. As described above, pressurized airis injected into the venturi chamber through inlet structure 222,resulting in a low pressure area within the venturi chamber that causesoil to be drawn into the venturi chamber through vacuum tube 220 and oilintake assembly 305. Arrow 486 shows the flow through the vacuum tube200.

Oil 210 is located in the bottle outside of the tube 230, and a mixture490 of non-atomized and fresh oil 490 is located inside the tube 230.The terminal end of the vacuum tube 220 includes a screen housing 492and a filter screen 494 that are both located below the level of the oil210 in the bottle. The terminal end of the vacuum tube 220 may becoupled with the screen housing 492 and/or the filter screen 494, andthe vacuum tube 220 has an opening to suction in the oil from underneaththe screen housing 492 and the filter screen 494. The filter housing 492has small holes 498 to allow for the recirculation of oil 488 that comesdown from inside the walls of the tube 230 as shown at arrow 496. Theoil 488 that comes down the side of the tube 230 may be oil that hasrecently been atomized and condensated, non-atomized oil from theorifice 401, or more generally, oil 488 that has recently come from theorifice 401 and/or the funnel shaped assembly 235. This oil 488, whichsometimes may be referred to as recently-used oil, recently-atomizedoil, non-atomized oil, or oil condensate, may be generally be referredto as “collected oil” 488. The collected oil 488 can be drawn into theinto the mixture 490 of non-atomized and fresh oil, which then can bedrawn into the small holes 498 in the filter housing 498, to be suckedup into the vacuum tube 220 to be atomized. In this respect, the flow ofthe collected oil 488 can be recirculated to be re-atomized.

In FIG. 2E, the lower walls of the tube 230 are extend below the levelof the liquid in the reservoir assembly 205. In some implementations,for example, the lower walls of the tube 230 may extend at least a fewmillimeters (e.g., 2-3 millimeters) below the level of the liquid in thereservoir assembly 205. In some embodiments, the tube 230 may extendconsiderably beneath the level of the liquid when the bottle is full. Insome embodiments, the tube 230 may extend to (or nearly to) the bottomof the reservoir assembly 205, which can allow the system to run untilreservoir assembly 205 is emptied, and can allow for the separation ofthe mostly fresh oil and the collected oil 488 until the reservoirassembly 205 is emptied. The lower walls of the tube 230 can separatethe oil 210 in the bottle from the mixture 490 of non-atomized and freshoil inside of the tube 230, so that the oil 210 in the bottle outside ofthe lower walls of the tube 230 may not readily mix with the mixture 490of non-atomized and fresh oil inside of the tube 230. In thisimplementation, the mixture 490 of non-atomized and fresh oil inside ofthe tube 230 can have an easier path in being suctioned through thefilter screen 494 and to the tube 220 when compared to the oil 210inside of the reservoir assembly that is outside of the tube 230. Theconstant addition of collected oil 488 to the interior volume of tube230 can lead to a flow of this collected oil downward though the holes498. This can cause the oil that is suctioned up tube 220, which is allfiltered though screen 494, to primarily include collected oil 488passing down though the holes 498, where only a very small proportion ofthe oil that is suctioned up tube 220 is fresh oil.

In some implementations, the filter screen 494 may have small holes orone-way valves to filter the (recirculated) oil and allow the oil to besuctioned up into the tube 220. Because the collected oil 488 isconstantly being recirculated throughout the scent delivery system 200,the oil can stay fresher longer, and the oil does not have to go fromthe atomizer and back into the entirety of reservoir assembly 205 tofreely and completely mix with the older oil, for which the compositionand scent of the oil 210 in the reservoir assembly 205 would change morequickly over time.

In some implementations, for example, the collected oil 488 (or themixture 490) can accumulate in the bottom of the tube 230 and can berecirculated by passing through small holes 498 in the screen housing492 that may be approximately 0.060″ in diameter, for example. Otherhole sizes may be implemented in the screen housing 492 and/or thefilter screen 494. In some implementations, the small holes 498 may beone-way valves that permit an oil flow such that the oil can only besuctioned into the tube 220 in a direction towards the atomizer complex215. The small holes 498 or one-way valves at the bottom of the tube 230may reduce an amount of mixing between the mixture 490 inside of thetube 230 and the oil 210 outside of the tube 230.

As the level of c rises inside tube 230, it may displace some of theliquid through the small holes 498, at which point the suction thoughthe filter screen 494 draws this oil back up to the atomizer complex215. Because the collected oil 488 (e.g., previously-atomized oil, oilcondensate) may contain many entrained air bubbles, it can be lighterthan the oil 210 surrounding it in the bottle, may float or rise on topof the other oil, and thereby can be more readily recirculated, ratherthan just mixing with the oil 210 in the bottle. For example, thecollected oil 488 may appear frothy and may float momentarily beforemixing in the mixture 490. In some implementations, most of the mixture490 in the tube 230 may be collected oil 488, which will be recirculatedto be re-atomized again. The oil inside of the tube 230 can beprogressively distilled over time.

The implementation of FIG. 2E can provide filtering for the collectedoil 488 at a higher rate when compared to an implementation that doesnot recirculate the collected oil 488 primarily. Also, when the oillevel is low in the reservoir assembly 205, the pressure may be low and,consequently, there may not be much pressure to push the oil throughoutthe scent delivery system 200. In the implementation of FIG. 2E, thecollected oil 488 can be constantly pushed through the system andfiltered through the filter screen 494, even when the oil level (and/orpressure level) is low in the reservoir assembly 205. In someimplementations, the oil feeding the atomizer complex 215 through thetube 220 may always be filtered by the filter screen 494 at the bottomof the tube 220.

Two pressure equalization holes 409A, 409B are in FIG. 2E in tube 230(or alternatively assembly 235) to equalize pressure in the tube 230with the pressure in the reservoir assembly 205 (e.g., so that the fluidlevel in tube 230 will match closely the fluid level of the reservoirassembly regardless of air flow introduced from orifice 401). When suchpressure equalization holes 409A, 409B are formed, they generally areformed at locations above the maximum level of oil that should exist inreservoir assembly 205. Two pressure equalization holes 409A, 409Ballows air to flow into and out of the tube 230 or assembly 235. Inother implementations, more than two pressure equalization holes may bepositioned above the maximum fill fluid level of the reservoir assembly205. Some of these implementations may provide an escape path for oiland return path for air inside the bottle in the event that the bottomof the tube cannot allow oil to escape, such as for the case of anintentional or accidental one way valve, for example. Some of theseimplementations may provide an escape path and a return path for airinside the bottle. The filter screen 494 can constantly filter outlarger particles or undesired particles in the oil before the oil issent into the tube 220, which thereby can enhance the length of theoperation of the scent deliver system.

FIGS. 2F-2H show various three-dimensional (3D) diagrams of the scentdelivery system. In the implementation of FIGS. 2F-2H for the scentdelivery system 200, an atomizer complex 215 is shown with an outputnozzle 227 and an air inlet structure 222. The atomizer complex 215 hasa tube 230 that encloses a vacuum tube 220 (not shown). A permeableseparator 410 can separate the contents of tube 230 from the fragranceoil 210 in reservoir assembly.

Certain features that are described in this specification in the contextof separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in asingle embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described inthe context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multipleembodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover,although features may be described above as acting in certaincombinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more featuresfrom a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from thecombination, and the claimed combination may be directed to asubcombination or variation of a subcombination.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A scent delivery system comprising: a reservoir,the reservoir comprising a liquid fragrance oil; an atomizer, theatomizer comprising: a chamber; an air inlet structure, wherein thechamber is in fluid communication with an exterior of the atomizerthrough the air inlet structure; and an oil intake; a vacuum tubecomprising a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to theoil intake and the second end extending into the reservoir below a levelof the liquid fragrance oil wherein the oil intake is positioned betweenthe chamber and the vacuum tube, and wherein the chamber is in fluidcommunication with the vacuum tube through the oil intake; and adrainage tube in fluid communication with the atomizer, wherein thedrainage tube is adapted to form a passage for at least a portion of theliquid fragrance oil to flow from the atomizer to the reservoir, whereinthe drainage tube is adapted to enable fluid communication with thevacuum tube, wherein the fluid communication between the drainage tubeand the vacuum tube causes a portion of the liquid fragrance oil that isnot atomized by the atomizer to initially pass through the drainage tubeand then pass through at least a portion of the vacuum tube beforereturning to the reservoir, wherein a terminal end of the drainage tubeis adapted to include a semipermeable membrane that servers as a filter.2. The scent delivery system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum tube isadapted to contact at least a top portion of the semipermeable membrane.